Presence of Helicobacter and Campylobacter species in faecal samples from zoo mammals.

Helicobacter and Campylobacter species (spp.) colonize the gastrointestinal tract of various domesticated animals. Apart from their pathogenic significance in animals, several species are of zoonotic importance as well. For most non-domesticated animal spp., however, little is known on the presence and importance of these agents. Therefore, we investigated the presence of Helicobacter and Campylobacter spp. in marine and terrestrial zoo mammals. Faecal samples of various marine and terrestrial zoo mammals were collected from 6 different zoos in Belgium. These samples were tested for the presence of Helicobacter and Campylobacter spp. by isolation and direct demonstration of DNA using genus-specific PCRs, followed by sequencing of the obtained amplicons. Helicobacter spp. were detected in 12 and Campylobacter spp. in 5 of the 22 faecal samples from marine mammals. In 4 of 5 dolphins, H. cetorum was demonstrated, a well-known pathogen associated with gastritis and gastric ulceration in marine mammals. C. insulaenigrae was isolated from 4 of 6 sea lions and from 1 of 11 seals. To our knowledge, this is the first description of the presence of C. insulaenigrae on the European mainland. Helicobacter spp. were detected in 5 and Campylobacter spp. (mainly C. jejuni subsp. jejuni and C. coli) in 9 of the 26 faecal samples from terrestrial mammals. Potential novel enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. were detected in both marine and terrestrial zoo mammals. For the first time, the presence of several known and unknown Campylobacter and Helicobacter spp. was demonstrated in the gastrointestinal tract of various marine and terrestrial zoo mammals. Further investigation is needed on the pathogenic and zoonotic importance of these species.

Rhizomucor pusillus mucormycosis combined with chlamydiosis in an African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus erithacus).

This paper describes a case of mucormycosis combined with chlamydiosis in an African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus erithacus). The clinical signs included diarrhoea, an unsteady gait and a twisted neck. Smears of the spleen, liver and contents of the cloaca stained strongly positive for Chlamydia species. Histologically, hyphae typical of Zygomycetes were observed invading through the walls of blood vessels of the spleen. Rhizomucor pusillus was isolated as a pure culture from the intestines, lungs and liver.

Effects of endobronchial challenge with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 9 of pigs vaccinated with inactivated vaccines containing the Apx toxins.

The efficacy of two inactivated vaccines containing the Apx toxins of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (Hemopig, Biokema, Lausanne, Switzerland and Porcilis App, Intervet, Boxmeer, the Netherlands) was determined. Ten pigs were vaccinated twice with Hemopig and eight pigs with Porcilis App. Ten control animals were injected twice with a saline solution. Three weeks after the second vaccination, all pigs were endobronchially inoculated with 10(5) colony-forming units (CFU) of an A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 9 strain. Increased respiratory rate and/or fever were observed in all vaccinated and control pigs after challenge. One pig of the Hemopig group and of the Porcilis App group died, whereas all pigs of the control group survived the challenge. Surviving pigs were killed at 7 days after challenge. The mean percentage of affected lung tissue was 34% in the control group, 16% in the Hemopig group, and 17% in the Porcilis App group. A. pleuropneumoniae was isolated from the lungs of all 10 control animals, from 7 of the 10 animals vaccinated with Hemopig and from 5 of the 8 animals vaccinated with Porcilis App. The mean bacterial titres of the caudal lung lobes were 1.4 x 10(6) CFU/g in the control group, 1.7 x 10(3) CFU/g in the Hemopig group, and 4.8 x 10(3) CFU/g in the Porcilis App group. In both vaccinated groups the mean number of days with dyspnoea, the mean number of days with fever, the mean percentage of affected lung tissue, and the mean bacterial titre in the caudal lung lobes were significantly lower than in the control group. Significant differences between the two vaccinated groups were not observed. It was concluded that both vaccines induced partial protection.